Drew Wellman, an artist who has been plying his trade for many years. Will open his one-man show, “The Little Heroes” at the Deus Gallery Canggu at 6pm on the 31st May 2013.

Drew’s subject matter aren’t ordinary children, they’re a group of gentlemen from a forgotten time. They come from a place at the edge of our so-called civilized world. Precise moments captured. They are looking back at you. Hands resting confidently on hips, a stance, an expression, their bearing. These boys are proud. Proud like their fathers. They are true children of the sea. Their fathers are fishermen. Their fathers before. Naught has changed. These little heroes strike you more as images of nobility. Each rides a chariot that hasseen way better days. Straight away you can tell it’s not so much about what they ride, moreover the simple fact that they ride. The patchwork repairs across the bandaged, broken polyester, badges of honor. You’ll be dumbfounded at their use of what is available. You’ll be stopped dead in your tracks by these giants demeanor.

What drew him to these knights and their eclectic steeds was their innocence. When they dinged or broke their boards they repaired them with what was available, boat resin and heavy strand glass. One board made from two totally different boards? Why not. Snap the nose off, round it out. And somewhere in the process they’d also decorated their rides. Markings they drew across the board their own accessible version of a brand or sponsor’s logo. Things they’d seen in the odd surfing magazine that had made its way to their backyard. Pride. Simplicity.

Full circle. For it is the same simplicity that Pak Sadra displayed.Some depth is needed here. This was the man who was both mentor and friend to Drew. A man who firmly placed him on the path to becoming an artist all those many moons ago. This man would paint a picture, walk into Ubud town and sell it. Using the proceeds to house and feed his family. He was living the art, a doer. Mornings might be spent carving stone and when it became too hot he would retire to the shade and paint. This is Drew’s litmus test for everything he does.

Then it gets complicated. Drew didn’t just want some white walls lined with this aristocracy of a far-flung place bearing down at you. He wanted to add context. He wants you to experience the life that has led him to this point and so has decided to completely envelop the Deus Gallery in what it is to be him. He sat down and began to think in terms of what a show that he’d like to go and see would look like. He wanted to create something that if another artist had done it, he’d be jealous. We’ve seen a small part of it set up at his studio and we believe he’s succeeded. Drew is creating something very unique, not only in terms of what the exhibit will be but definitely in terms of where he’s hosting it. Dioramas built from his personal trash and treasure, most of which was found on a beach. He finds used and discarded a lot more interesting than brand new. Mementos of travel and home. Whether a mannequin’s head found washed up in Mozambique or the hundreds of sun-bleached, salt encrusted cigarette lighters he’s engaged members of his community to collect for him. All of it has meaning and most revolve around his love of the ocean.

You’ll have to peer in around, up and down. Lighting will be the viewer’s input. Torches of one flavour or another will be handed out to help illuminate peoples way. Feel free to bring your own. For the full immersive experience he’s also been thinking sound and music. In fact the show takes it’s name from Drew’s favorite Melbourne band, The Little Heroes. It was the backing track to learning to drive in his sisters Datsun 1600.

We sit out on his back porch drinking Capt. Morgan’s and dry, bouncing ideas around much like those excited little boys that form the core of the exhibition. Music drifts from in, out. We laugh and get enthusiastic on life, caught up in Drew’s endless flow. Deus Gallery are proud to present “The Little Heroes” for the months of June & July.

The major designs are the same; no cutting off and extending the swing arm or any thing like that, just a bit of a face lift so to speak. Were talking a new tank beaming with the colors blue and chrome inlaid with a custom Deus Ex Machina badge to honor. A new custom brown leather seat so your ride is full fledge comfort all day and night as you boogie on down the back alleys of Bali, and when you hit that wet muddy pothole and you will, we slapped on a extended back finder perfect for the rainy session.

That’s about it and if you don’t believe us, keep your eyes open cuz she’s been released into the wild and you can see for yer self…

See ya in the back alleys, cuz we like mud in our eyes.

(Not to sure who that cat was, but we all agree he was a handsome bloke), and here we are current date and it is still going bizerker.

The tacos are still just as good as the first night maybe even a bit better as our kitchen hones there skills on south of the border grinds and the margaritas, well whether there frozen or on the rocks they are refreshingly deadly. Once you add the spirits in to the mix the hum of the tattoo gun starts to beacon you more and more like the ringing of a holy mans bell during a ceremony. One finds them self a bit curious and lurking in a dark corner watching as liquored up travelers and locals que up on the chalkboard of destiny. The rules are simple have your art ready, it should take no longer than 15-20 min from start to finish and that’s it…

So if these are the type of antics that float your boat then swing on over to The Temple every Tuesday night 5-10 and be welcomed with open arms to Margiritardvile…

The original plan was to shape a quiver of 20 boards for all the Deus locations around the world…but after some custom orders from Japan came through…it has ended up as  just over 30 boards.

From a 5’4 Wing Pin Single for our young local Deus team rider Riman…a range of sea gypsies in different sizes…all the way to a 7’3 Wing Pin Single, Joel has definitely been putting in some serious time inside the bay.
Even though he is on a shaping mission, when the waves are good, you’ll find Joel in the water. Scoring a mid week session at Ulu’s and even jumping on a bike and joining Harrison on a wave quest in central Java for the first trip of the Seven Signs project.

This new line of boards shaped here at the Temple of Enthusiasm all feature fabric inlays, with matching fabric in the hand foiled fins, A Volan patch on the deck and 4oz fiberglass over the tails.

The Bali batch of boards has just been finished up, so swing on by and have a feel and a gander…your only real discussion is what fabric pattern tickles your fancy.

Well if you have had the pleasure to rock up and get down in the back yard hustle better known as Sunday Sunset Sessions at The Temple in the paddies, then you will find that “They” is mistaken. To put is other words, it has been going off over in our neck of the grass…

Travelers, expats and locals alike all have found themselves belly up to the bar, or even having a bit of a chin wag on the take it easy lounge on the main floor. But the newest attraction to the back yard hustle has got the whole village talking. We here over at Deus Ex Machina with all of our infinite wisdom and so much extra time for weekly think tanks decided that we needed to add a BBQ and second walk up bar for faster food and alcohol consumptions, and the kicker, you have the best view in the yard of all the lovely lads and lassies. Think yer going to miss out on the killer bands doing there jive on the stage, think again my little chickadees, its like yer front row at the L.A. Forum  high on mushrooms seeing the mighty Led Zeppelin for the first time in june of 1977, ya its that mind blowing…

Why just last Sunday Tomorrows Tulips just walked up and rock up totally unexpected and threw down a mind altering set that set the night a blaze, and they weren’t even on the bill, that’s how things happen they unfold like a flower catching a bit of morning light…

“They” say “He” rested on the seventh day. “We” rest on the eighth…

So we’ll see you this Sunday Sunset Session getting amongst the back yard hustle…

You could say this relationship was fated by his blood, having no choice but to love this magic beast of a wave. Father Terry was amongst the first to ever surf Uluwatu before Joel was even conceived, adding to Joel’s DNA an Uluwatu chain. Valuable information about the wave and perhaps even an Uluwatu gene  were added though Terry’s own experiences.  Which later were activated and utilised though Joel’s own direct contact. Terry went on to win the historical and prestigious Om Bali Pro 1980 when Joel was a babe playing in the warungs, being a witness to the first ever contest at Uluwatu.

Long after nappies, Joel is back in Bali and we are stoked to host him here at the Deus Temple of Enthusiasm as a shaper. Following in the footsteps of his surfer/shaper father, Joel’s been shaping, designing and constantly refining his own surfboards. The Midnight Lightening with a wing-pin tail is a board that Joel developed for steep fast barrels, and his craft of choice for Indonesia. With a swell on the horizon Joel mowed in to shape the 6’8 Midnight Lightening here at the Temple. To create a unique look resident glasser Victor put a volan patch on the deck, resin tinted the back and added in some vintage fabric from Chrystal Fitzgerald’s personal reserve. Victor barley had a chance to wet rub this beauty in time for Joel to swoop it up and away choosing to christen the board at his favourite wave.

Some things change but some things remain the same. Paved roads lead straight to Uluwatu’s hotel lined cliff, you can sip a latte whilst getting pedicure overlooking race tracks if you wanted to, watching all 150 boards crowd the line up that once was empty, yet there are still some un-ridden waves and less beaten paths to the sea. Joel and his 6’8 Midnight Lightening managed to score more then a few gems this day….

Words by Chrystal Fitzgerald

*DISCLAIMER: Cylindrical arrangements, handlebar heights, and horsepower numbers are totally f*#%ing rad and contribute immensely to the enjoyment of motorcycles. We’re just making a point here.

All photos by Woody Gooch.

~ HARRISON ROACH